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Sam Penrod Reporting Nicole Speirs was found dead in her bathtub back in March. There were no signs of foul play, but now police say her death was no accident.
Last week, the woman's boyfriend came for treatment at the VA hospital in Salt Lake. Court documents show that's when he admitted to being involved in his girlfriend's death.
Walter Smith was charged today in court with the murder of his girlfriend, Nicole Speirs.
Smith and Speirs lived together in Tooele. Back on March 25th, Smith called police and said he found her underwater in the bathtub with the tap still running.
The medical examiner ruled the death as an unexplained drowning because there was no evidence of a struggle, but now prosecutors are accusing Smith of murder.
Gary Searle, Deputy Tooele County Attorney: "At this point we are alleging he is the one who caused her death by drowning."
That evidence is from Smith himself. Smith, who is a former marine and spent time in Iraq, went to the VA hospital last week and essentially confessed to the crime.
Gary Searle, Deputy Tooele County Attorney: "He presented himself at a hospital in SLC, talking about some mental issues he had and that he needed to clear his conscience of some things, and in doing so, this was one of the things he indicated he wanted to clear his conscience of."
The couple did have twins a few months before his girlfriend's death that are now about 16 months and are in the custody of her parents.
Any motive to the homicide is not being talked about right now.
Gary Searle, Deputy Tooele County Attorney: "I know he was in the military, I know there are some claims as to some mental issues from that."
Smith's attorney says he is waiting for the evidence from police, but believes there may be more to the case.
Matthew Jube, Defense Attorney: "I do believe there is more to the story, I just want to get the details before I talk about it."
Smith is in the Tooele County jail, and is being held without bail.
He will be back in court in January.
